Oliver
December 3, 2014 § 6 Comments
ORIGIN:
Variation of the French “Olivier”; either from German, meaning “elven army”, or from Latin, meaning “olive tree”, or from the Nordic “Olaf”, meaning “ancestor’s descendant”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Oli, Olivier, Oliviero, Ollie, Noll, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Oliver Landry, Thea’s accompanist, and friend to both Thea and Fred, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Oliver Crawford (1917-2008), American author and screenwriter.
– Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774), Anglo-Irish novelist, playwright, and poet.
– Oliver Herford (1863-1935), American artist, humorist, illustrator, and writer.
– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809-1894), American author, lecturer, physician, poet, and professor.
– Oliver Lodge (1851-1940), English physicist and writer.
– Oliver W.F. Lodge (1878-1955), English author and poet.
– Oliver Onions (1873-1961), English writer.
– Oliver Sacks (b. 1933), Anglo-American author and neurologist.
Otto
December 3, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Variation of the Germanic “Audo” or “Odo”, meaning “wealth”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Audo, Eudes, Oddo, Ode, Odi, Odilon, Odo, Otello, Otho, Othello, Ottone, Ottorino, Rino, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Otto Ottenburg, Fred’s brewing magnate father, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865-1910), German writer.
– Otto Binder (1911-1974), American author and comic book writer.
– Otto Ludwig (1813-1865), German critic, dramatist, and novelist.
– Otto Manninen (1872-1950), Finnish poet, translator, and writer.
– Otto Rank (1884-1939), Austrian educator, psychoanalyst, and writer.
– Otto Scott (1918-2006), American author, biographer, and journalist.
– Otto Steiger (1909-2005), Swiss broadcaster and writer.
Miles
November 24, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Either from the Germanic “Milo”, possibly meaning “gracious” or “merciful”, or referencing the Latin word for “soldier”, or a variation of “Michael“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Milo, Myles.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Miles Murdston, a professional singer who hires Thea as a rehearsal accompanist in Chicago, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Miles Clark (1960-1993), Irish journalist, sailor, and writer.
– Miles Franklin (1879-1954), pen name of Australian activist and writer Stella Miles Franklin.
– Miles J. Stanford (1914-1999), American minister and writer.
Hiram
November 24, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Hebrew, meaning “exalted brother”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hi, High, Hirem, Huram, Hurem, Hy, Hyram, Hyrem.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Hiram Bowers, Madison Bowers’ father, a Boston choirmaster, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Hiram M. Chittenden (1858-1917), American historian.
– Hiram Alfred (H.A.) Cody (1872-1948), Canadian clergyman and novelist.
– Hiram Fuller (1814-1880), American educator and journalist.
Elmer
November 14, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From the Anglo-Saxon “Adelmar”, meaning “noble” or “famous”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Adelmar, Aylmer, Edelmiro.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Elmer, Ray Kennedy’s unlucky brother-in-law, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Elmer Davis (1890-1958), American author and reporter.
– Elmer Rafael Diktonius (1896-1961), Finnish composer and poet.
– Elmer Hader (1889-1973), American children’s book author and illustrator.
– Elmer Blaney Harris (1878-1966), American author, dramatist, and playwright.
– Elmer Keith (1899-1984), American author and rancher.
– Elmer Kelton (1926-2009), American journalist and writer.
– Elmer Rice (1892-1967), American playwright.
Constance
October 4, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Medieval version of “Constantia”, the feminine form of the Latin “Constantius”, meaning “constant” or “steadfast”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Connie, Constantia, Constanza, Constanze, Konstancja, Konstanze, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lady Constance, wife of Sir Peter de Lindsay in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Constance Garnett (1861-1946), English translator.
– Constance Gordon-Cumming (1837-1924), Scottish painter and travel writer.
– Constance McLaughlin Green (1897-1975), American historian.
– Constance Cary Harrison (1843-1920), American writer who also wrote under the pen names “Constance Cary”, “Constance C. Harrison”, “Mrs. Burton Harrison”, and “Refugitta”.
– Constance Heaven (1911-1995), English author who also wrote under the pen names “Constance Fecher” and “Christina Merlin”.
– Constance Holme (1880-1955), English writer and playwright.
– Constance Naden (1858-1889), English essayist, lecturer, poet, philosopher, and writer,
– Constance Reid (1918-2010), American author and biographer.
– Constance Lindsay Skinner (1877-1939), Canadian critic, editor, historian, and writer.
– Constance Fenimore Woolson (1840-1894), American novelist, poet, and short story writer.
Alfred
October 4, 2014 § 7 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Old English “Aelfraed”, meaning “elf-counsel”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Aelfraed, Al, Alf, Alfie, Alfredo, Avery, Fred, Fredde, Freddie, Freddy, Fredo, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Alfred, one of the boys Robin plays with during his stay at St. Mark’s, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Alfred Andersch (1914-1980), German writer, publisher, and radio editor.
– Alfred Austin (1835-1913), English poet.
– Alfred Bester (1913-1987), American author and writer.
– Alfred de Musset (1810-1857), French dramatist, novelist, and poet.
– Alfred de Vigny (1797-1863), French playwright, poet, and novelist.
– Alfred Döblin (1878-1957), German doctor, essayist, and novelist.
– Alfred Hartmann (1814-1897), Swiss writer.
– Alfred Hayes (1911-1985), English novelist, poet, and screenwriter.
– Alfred Edward (A.E.) Housman (1859-1936), English poet and scholar.
– Alfred Jarry (1873-1907), French writer.
– Alfred Kazin (1915-1998), American critic and writer.
– Alfred Kerr (1867-1948), German-Jewish critic and essayist.
– Alfred Lansing (1921-1975), American journalist and writer.
– Alfred Henry Lewis (1855-1914), American editor, journalist, lawyer, novelist, and short story writer.
– Alfred Lichtenstein (1889-1914), German writer.
– Alfred Masson-Forestier (1852-1912), French writer.
– Alfred Neumann (1895-1952), German writer and translator.
– Alfred Noyes (1880-1958), English playwright, poet, and short story writer.
– Alfred Ollivant (1874-1927), English novelist.
– Alfred Perlès (1897-1990), Austrian writer.
– Alfred Reynolds (1907-1993), Anglo-Hungarian writer.
– Alfred Percy Sinnett (1840-1921), English author, journalist, and Theosophist.
– Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892), English poet.
– Alfred Williams (1877-1930), English author and poet.
QUOTATIONS:
– From “Epistle to Earl Harcourt, on his wishing her to spell her name of Catherine with a K“, by an unknown poet (“F—-“), found in A Collection of Poems, Chiefly Manuscript, and from Living Authors (1823), edited by Joanna Baillie: “Alfred, who quell’d th’ unsurping Dane, / And burst, indignant, from his chain; / Who slaves redeemed, to reign o’er men, / Changing the faulchion for the pen, / And outlin’d, with a master’s hand, / Th’ immortal charter of the land; / Alfred, whom yet these realms obey”
Hubert
October 4, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “bright heart” or “bright mind”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hobart, Hubertus, Hubrecht, Uberto, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Brother Hubert, a monk at St. Mark’s, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Hubert Aquin (1929-1977), Canadian activist, essayist, filmmaker, and novelist.
– Hubert Howe Bancroft (1832-1918), American ethnologist and historian.
– Hubert Butler (1900-1991), Irish essayist.
– Hubert Crackanthorpe (1870-1896), English writer.
– Hubert Fichte (1935-1986), German novelist.
– Hubert Lampo (1920-2006), Flemish author.
– Hubert Harrison (1883-1927), West Indian-American activist, critic, educator, orator, and writer.
– Hubert Selby, Jr. (1928-2004), American writer.
Millicent
October 3, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Germanic “Amalasuintha”, meaning “work-strength”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Melicent, Melisent, Melisande, Melisende, Mila, Mili, Milla, Milli, Millie, Milly, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Millicent, Brother Luke’s cat in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Millicent Armstrong (1888-1973), Australian playwright and farmer.
– Millicent Garrett Fawcett (1947-1929), English novelist and writer.
– M. (Millicent) Travis Lane (b. 1934), Canadian poet.
– Millicent Mackenzie (1863-1942), English educator and writer.
– Millicent Murby (1873-1951), English activist and author.
– Millicent Selsam (1912-1996), American children’s book writer.
Elinor
September 2, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Eleanor“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Alianor, Aliénor, Eilionoir, Eilidh, Elea, Eleanor, Eleanora, Eleanore, Elenor, Elenora, Elenore, Eleonor, Elinora, Elinore, Ella, Ellanore, Elle, Ellen, Elli, Ellie, Ellinor, Elly, Elnora, Leanora, Leonore, Lenora, Lenore, Leonor, Lore, Lorita, Nell, Nelle, Nellie, Nelly, Nonie, Nony, Noor, Noora, Nora, Norah, Noreen, Norene, Norina, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Elinor Dashwood, the practical and restrained older Dashwood sister, with “an excellent heart; — her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them”, in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (set between 1792-1797, published in 1811).
WRITERS:
– Elinor Brent-Dyer (1894-1969), English children’s book writer.
– Elinor Glyn (1864-1943), English novelist and writer.
– Elinor Lyon (1921-2008), English children’s book writer.
– Elinor Mordaunt (1872-1942), pen name of English writer Evelyn May Clowes, who also wrote under the pen names “Evelyn May Mordaunt” and “Elenor Mordaunt”.
– Elinor Wylie (1885-1928), American novelist and poet.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 